A Single-Center Study Comparison of Two Different Male-to-Female Penile Skin Inversion Vaginoplasty Techniques and Their 3.5-Year Outcomes

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Vaginoplasty is a crucial part of genital gender-affirming surgery with the number of trans women undergoing this intervention steadily, however, up to date, there is still no standardized vaginoplasty technique.

AIM

This retrospective single-center study compares single-stage vs two-stage penile skin inversion vaginoplasty techniques and their long-term outcomes.

METHODS

Medical records of 63 consecutive patients who underwent single-stage vaginoplasty, as described by Dr Preecha Tiewtranon, and 62 consecutive patients who underwent 2-stage vaginoplasty were reviewed.

RESULTS

The mean postoperative hospital stay was 7 days for patients who underwent single-stage vaginoplasty vs 16 days for patients who underwent 2-stage vaginoplasty. Neovaginal depth proved constant in patients who underwent single-stage vaginoplasty, whereas a loss of more than 30% was observed in patients who underwent 2-stage vaginoplasty during the first postoperative year. Early complications were more common than late-onset complications in both groups. The most common complication in the single-stage group was wound dehiscence (4.8%). There were significantly more complications in 2-stage collective, among which wound dehiscence (33.9%), unsatisfactory cosmetic outcome (25.8%), and urethral stenosis (14.5%) were the most common. In the single-stage cohort, 4 (6.4%) patients needed one revision surgery, whereas 35 (56.5%) patients in the 2-stage cohort necessitated one or more reoperations with up to 10 quaternary revisions. All patients reported to have sensitivity to neoclitoris in the single-stage group, whereas 3 (4.8%) patients in the 2-stage group were deprived of it because of neoclitoral necrosis.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Optimizing a vaginoplasty surgical technique and its postoperative protocol.

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS

The present retrospective study with a mean follow-up of more than 3.5 years offers the first ever comparison of 2 different PSI vaginoplasty surgical techniques performed in the same center.

CONCLUSION

Significantly lower complication and revision rates, shorter recovery time, and superior esthetic and functional outcomes were observed in the single-stage than in the two-stage penile skin inversion vaginoplasty surgical technique. Fakin RM, Giovanoli P. A Single-Center Study Comparison of Two Different Male-to-Female Penile Skin Inversion Vaginoplasty Techniques and Their 3.5-Year Outcomes. J Sex Med 2020;XX:XXX-XXX.